Parte 1 (2 minutos)
El examinador realiza una serie de preguntas personales –profesión, lugar de residencia, gustos y aficiones–
a ambos candidatos como primera toma de contacto.
Sample questions
Typical Opening Questions
- Where are you from? What do you like about living in…?
- How long have you been studying English?
- What do you like about studying English?
Personal Background
- Can you describe your town?
- Do you come from a big or a small family?
- Would you like to live in the same place for a long time?
Work & Study
- What do you do?
- Do you work or are you a student at the moment?
- What kind of skills do you need in your job?
- How easy or difficult is it for young people to get a job where you live?
- Would you like to do the same job for ever?
Food, Health & Sport
- Do you think that people should take better care of themselves? Why?
- What sports do young people like doing in your country?
- Would you rather watch at home sports or take part? Why?
- When was the last time you attended a live sports event in your city?
- Do you support any team in particular?
Entertainment
- How do you normally spend your free time?
- Can you describe the last book you read? Was it good?
- Do you like science fiction literature? Why (not)?
- Do you prefer to read a book or to watch a movie?
- How often do you go to the cinema and who do you go with?
- Do you prefer to go out with your friends or with your family?
Travel and Holidays
- How do you normally spend your holidays?
- Do you prefer to spend your holidays with friends or with family?
- What’s the last foreign country you visit it? Did you like it?
- What’s the most interesting place you have visited? Why?
- Do many tourists visit your city?
Parte 2 (1 minuto por candidato)
El examinador muestra al candidato A dos fotografías para comparar. Durante un minuto, el candidato debe
contrastar las dos imágenes, describir brevemente las principales semejanzas y diferencias y responder de
forma crítica a la pregunta que aparece en la parte de arriba.
Seguidamente, el examinador realiza al candidato B una pregunta relacionada con las fotografías del
candidato A para que la responda en unos 30 segundos. Tras el turno del candidato A, el candidato B recibe
sus fotografías y se procede de la misma manera.
Sample
In this part of the test, you are going to talk on your own for about a minute. These are your photographs.
Please, compare them and answer the question below.
Candidate A
What impact do these situations have on the environment?
Sample answer
Candidate A
Both photographs have a common topic: the environment. In the image above we can see a wind turbine,
while in the picture below we can see an industrial complex with chimneys releasing fumes into the
atmosphere. The picture of the wind generator surrounded by beautiful hills makes me feel that there is still
hope for our mother nature, our home, thanks to the implementation of green energies. However, this type of
construction has a considerable visual impact and it makes the natural environment and landscape lose its
beauty.
Obviously, the ideal situation environmentally-wise is the one shown in the snapshot at the top, since it
represents a renewable resource of energy and, therefore, the way forward. In contrast, the image below
represents a scenario we don’t want for our environment: emissions, acid rain, deforestation, air pollution,
water pollution and destruction of wildlife.
I believe that we should focus more on clean, environmentally-friendly energies that do not involve a
depletion
of natural resources and, above all, that protect our home as well as our health.
Candidate B
What can we do to protect the environment?
There are many ways in which we can contribute to protect our planet. For instance, there is this new trend
now called ‘plogging’. The word is a Swedish portmanteau made up of the words jogging and picking up
rubbish. The idea is to work out while cleaning up the streets of rubbish. It’s become very popular and it’s
spreading quickly among runners of all countries. It sounds like fun, doesn’t it? Besides, you do your bit and
as the saying goes ‘every little counts’.
Tips
No describas las fotografías en detalle, pues el objetivo principal de esta parte es emplear expresiones para
comparar, contrastar, realizar hipótesis y expresar opiniones.
- Las fotografías deben compararse siempre teniendo en cuenta la pregunta planteada.
- Asegúrate de que empleas tu minuto para realizar la tarea solicitada y de que no te vas por las ramas.
- Si no te acuerdas de términos y expresiones concretas que te gustaría emplear para la tarea, parafrasea y
busca la manera de decir lo mismo con expresiones más sencillas para no quedarte bloqueado.
- Responde a la pregunta sobre las fotos de tu compañero de manera concisa y directa.
Expresiones generales para emplear en la parte 2
Saying which picture you are Comparing the Saying which you’d
Guessing Contrasting
talking about pictures prefer to do
-He seems/
looks … -I personally feel
-The picture at the
-He looks as that X -I prefer to ….
top shows… ………….
if …. is much more… -I enjoy… more
-In the second photo, While ……….
-They look than than…
there are… ………whereas ……
like … -X is far more… -I’d rather ….
-In the one at the .
-They than -I personally feel
bottom … -On the one hand,
might/may/could -To my mind, X that…
-They both show … on the other hand,
be is for many
-In both of them there -In contrast….
-Perhaps/ probably not reasons…
are…
Maybe … so… as…
It´s probably…
Parte 3 (3 minutos de conversación + 1 de toma de decisiones)
Los candidatos conversan sobre un tema concreto proporcionado por el examinador. Para llevar a cabo la
tarea, los candidatos deben intercambiar ideas, expresar y justificar sus opiniones, mostrar acuerdo y
desacuerdo, realizar sugerencias, especular, evaluar y negociar para alcanzar una decisión final.
Sample
Now, I’d like you to talk about something together for about two minutes.
Imagine you are helping to prepare a poster to raise environmental awareness in your area.
Here are some ideas for images that could be included, and a question for you to discuss. First you have
some time to look at the task.
Now, talk to each other about which images on a poster would be useful to raise environmental awareness.
Now you have about a minute to decide which two photographs should be included.
Expresiones generales para emplear en la parte 3
Buying time Giving your opinion Asking your partner
– I never really thought about that, – In my opinion, it is – What are your thoughts?
but… obvious that… – What would you say?
– You made a very interesting point – As far as I’m concerned – Are we on the same page here?
there… – In my view – Wouldn’t you agree?
– Well, I am not quite sure about – To my mind – Do we see eye to eye on this
that… – To my way of matter?
– Honestly, I wouldn’t know what to thinking… – What do you reckon?
say about that… – I have no doubt that…
– Well, if you ask me…
Interrupting politely
– Do you mind if I add Trying to change an opinion
Giving reasons something? – But don’t you think that…
– As well as that, – I’d like to comment on – Yes, but isn’t it true that…
– Just as importantly, … that – Okay, but on the other hand…
– There’s also the fact that… – If I could just make a – Maybe there’s another way to
– Another point I’d like to add… point here… think about it…
– I’d like to put my two You’re partly right, but…
cents in
Parte 4 (4 minutos)
En esta parte, los candidatos responden a una serie de preguntas planteadas por el examinador y relacionadas
con el tema de la tarea 3. Durante la tarea, se espera que los candidatos expresen y justifiquen opiniones,
muestren acuerdo y desacuerdo y se realicen preguntas entre ellos.
Una vez hecha la introducción y descripción de cada uno de los apartados que conforman el examen oral,
veamos, de manera más pormenorizada, cómo afrontar cada de una de las partes con ejemplos concretos.
Sample
Are there any pressing environmental issues in your country?
- Do you think younger generations are truly concerned about environmental problems?
- What can individuals do to help?
- What’s your view on the eco-friendly exercise phenomenon known as ‘plogging’? Is it
just a craze or do you think it is going to stay?
- Do older people have as much awareness of environmental problems as the younger
generations?
Tips
- Proporciona respuestas completas y complejas, no te limites a dar respuestas cortas.
- Invita a tu compañero a participar realizándole preguntas relacionadas con el tema en
cuestión.
- Recuerda que tu lenguaje corporal es casi tan importante como tu lenguaje hablado, por lo que debes
asegurarte de que tienes en cuenta detalles como mirar a los ojos a tu interlocutor, de que sonríes, asientes
con la cabeza, utilizas las manos para expresarte y mantienes el cuerpo ligeramente girado para mostrar
interés en la conversación.
- Emplea expresiones coloquiales e interjecciones.
